


Shelter From The Storm

by crutchiebytheway



Series: Jack/Romeo Friendship [2]
Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Platonic Relationships, Thunderstorms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 03:46:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5728456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crutchiebytheway/pseuds/crutchiebytheway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Romeo is new to the Lodging House. He doesn't like thunderstorms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shelter From The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, not romantic. Enjoy! Let me know what you think!

"I need a bed for tonight, um, sir," the boy coughed nervously. "Please."

Dirt covered fingers reached into his pockets and placed a few lone coins onto the counter for Kloppman's inspection.

Jack, from his spot in the doorway, watched intently. He recognized this boy. Jack could recall him sitting in a tight bunk bed, holding his stomach and wailing.

The Refuge.

"Hey, Kloppman," he called out. "I'll show him around."

"You listen kid, you don't have to pay for nothin' 'til you get sellin', you hear me? We'll help you out. Get you some shoes, or somethin'." Jack says with his hand on the boy's shoulder.

He nodded in response. "They call me Romeo."

"Alright, Romeo it is."

Jack kept an eye out for Romeo the next few days.

It seemed to Jack he was adjusting well, but Romeo still showed definite signs of time in the Refuge. Flinching at unexpected human touch, guarding food, sleeping curled up in a ball, nothing that was new to Jack. Nothing that Jack didn't still struggle with himself.

It was only a few days after Romeo's arrival when the storm hit.

A clap of thunder shook the bunk bed, waking Jack with a start. Sitting up, he surveyed the room. Racetrack rolled over in his sleep, and Finch had hummed in response, but everyone seemed to be asleep. Jack could move without suspection. 

The next clap of thunder came just as Jack reached the floor. He almost called out in surprise, and he griped the bedpost for support. Breathe in, breathe out. He was safe.

He began his laps around the room, stopping only at Romeo's bunk.

The boy shook violently, even under his blanket. He whimpered with each clap of thunder, and had his eyes clenched as tight as he could. 

"Hey, hey, you're alright."

Jack made his way into the bed and took a seat on the edge. "It's not gonna getcha."

Romeo didn't say anything. Jack couldn't blame him. Not when the memory of his first storm in the lodging house, and worse yet, the memory of the Refuge, was still fresh in his mind.

He placed a hand on Romeo's arm, slowly, so he didn't scare him. He moved closer, letting Romeo know he was there. 

Romeo stopped whimpering, but Jack's presence did nothing to stop his shaking. But Jack didn't really expect it to.

As time went on, Jack shifted to lie down next to him. By Jack's calculations, it would be morning soon, and the storm showed no signs of stopping. There was no harm in spending the night in Romeo's bunk. 

He began to plan his excuse for the two of them staying in tomorrow instead of selling in the rain. No way would he force Romeo out like this. 

But before Jack could figure it out, he too had drifted off to what was the most peaceful sleep he had ever had during a thunderstorm.


End file.
